Class: Open 60
Rig type: Rotating wing mast with deck spreaders.
Rigging supplied: Full set – combination of PBO, TSC and FlexC
Length: 18.28 m
Displacement: 8,500 kg
Designer: VPLP / Verdier
Shipyard: Indiana Yachting (Italy)
Launch: September 2007
Previous names: N/A
This boat designed by the Van Peteghem - Lauriot Prevost team in conjunction with Guillaume Verdier was launched in September 2007. Just like Safran, Kito de Pavant's Groupe Bel was built with the aim of being as light as possible.
Groupe Bel is the boat Kito de Pavant has taken the equivalent of twice around the world. The VPLP / Verdier design caused a sensation along with Marc Guillemot's Safran in the last Vendée Globe for their lightness, with radical solutions and outstanding performance downwind. Kito came to the solo round the world challenge with a second place in the Transat B to B, but unfortunately a broken mast halted his great project. Back with force and with a new mast, the Frenchman took Groupe Bel to a magnificent second place in the Transat Jacques Vabre, sailing double-handed with François Gabart (Michel Desjoyeaux's partner on Foncia for this Barcelona World Race).
